Published 10 May 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
PM HARRIS EXTENDS MOTHERS’ DAY WISHES TO ALL MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS IN ST. KITTS AND NEVISBASSETERRE, St. Kitts, May 10, 2020 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris took time out on Saturday, May 09, to observe and honour the nation’s mothers and grandmothers, who he says deserve the highest homage and praise for their indispensable contribution in creating and nurturing life.
The Prime Minister’s words came one day ahead of the international observance of Mother’s Day, celebrated today, Sunday, May 10. It is a day when all moms and mother figures are applauded for their immeasurable influence on their children.
“To all of you, for your love, your hard work, your sacrifices even in, and especially in the turbulence of COVID-19, I want to say thank you. Thank you for continuing to protect and care and provide for everyone else because that’s really what mothers do. And for everything else you have been doing in various capacities…I say thank you,” Prime Minister Harris said on the Saturday, May 09 edition of Inside the News on WINNFM 98.9.
Prime Minister Harris indicated that this year’s observation of Mother’s Day comes at a unique time when the global community is challenged by the COVID-19 disease, also known as the novel coronavirus.
Prime Minister Harris said a number of difficult, yet necessary measures had to be put in place to safeguard human health in St. Kitts and Nevis. One such measure, which has been highly successful in combating the spread of this deadly virus, is that of social distancing.
“One of the greatest gifts we have really, and sometimes we take it for granted, is the gift of health. Our mothers and grandmothers are no different. I say one of the best gifts any child can give to the parent now, particularly the mother since we are commemorating her day, would be to do everything you can to avoid the risk of your mother catching this very dangerous disease,” Dr. Harris said.
The honourable prime minister used the occasion to encourage each of us to show love to mothers or the mother figures in our lives by keeping our distance in an effort keep them safe.
He said, “The sad news, to that end, is that in the new norm, distancing and space are expressions of love. In a manner of speaking, it’s like saying ‘I love you so much mom that I wouldn’t come close because I don’t want to transmit the virus, if per chance I have it and I don’t know’.”
Prime Minister Harris added that luckily in today’s digital society, technology helps to minimize the hardship that may arise from being physically apart from one’s loved ones.
“So this year, perhaps a telephone call to the mother or grandmother would do [or] video call with her, and some people are better at the technology than me so Skype or Zoom can also come to but whatever we do we should avoid unnecessary physical contact or proximity,” the prime minister said, while reminding us all that the elderly are among those who are more vulnerable to the COVID-19 disease.
Prime Minister Harris ended by saying that “our mothers and grandmothers are precious to us and we must do all we can to protect them – just as they did for us when we were children.”
